On the Democratic Party of Virginia’s role in the 2020 General Election
The DPVA has taken leadership roles in a few different spaces in 2020, Voter Protection, Communications, and our State Convention and Nominating Processes.
Voter Protection
The Party has had Voter Protection Staff on the ground since October, recruiting poll observers and locality liaisons so we can keep up to date with how each locality is planning to handle this historic election. Our Voter Protection Director, Alyssa Pooler, has put a plan together — working closely with the 2020 Coordinated Campaign teams, Joe Biden, Mark Warner, and all of our Congressional Candidates — to run Voter Protection program the size of which Virginia has never seen. Republicans may try to cheat and steal an election, we’ll be ready when they do.
Voter Protection is crucial in any election, remember — in 2017 Shelly Simonds’s race ended in a tie, and in 2019 Nancy Guy won her seat in the House of Delegates by 27 votes. Both races were contentious and the results weren’t certified until long after election night — our voter protection efforts will be crucial to combating the Trump Campaign trying to steal another election.
We had ambitious goals for volunteers to work as poll observers and locality liaisons before the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’re pleased that we’ll be able to still run a robust voter protection program this year, all the way down to the individual precincts. The efforts of Ja’Scotta Jefferson, our Voter Protection Coordinator, has been crucial to us continuously hitting our recruitment goals and our ability to move our voter protection hotline virtual.
If you want to help protect the vote in Virginia, click here for more information. Our Voter Protection team will reach out to you to talk about getting involved!
Communications
The DPVA has a megaphone on social media, and we’re using it constantly to amplify the good work that our candidates and elected officials are doing, and make sure the heinous things the GOP say and do are shown the light of day.
When Elaine Luria or Abigail Spanberger have bi-partisan bills signed into law we’re there to make sure people know about it. And when Scott Taylor or Nick Freitas spread right-wing conspiracy theories, we make sure people know how unfit they are to serve in the House of Representatives.
I wanted to take this opportunity to remind committee members that they should chat with our Comms team before talking to the press — you can find their contact info here: vademocrats.org/your-party/staff
Conventions & the nomination process
Late in 2019 the DPVA went through and counted and certified the petitions of 14 presidential primary candidates, ensuring they were on the ballot when Virginians went to the polls in March.
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic our Chairwoman, with the advice of our Steering Committee and Executive Director, made the decision to have Party staff work from home well in advance of statewide stay-at-home orders came into effect. In doing so, the DPVA hasn’t missed a beat — staying a resource for campaigns during the primaries and allowing us to maintain our massive fundraising advantage over the RPV.
One of the main challenges that COVID-19 has brought to our Party has been moving all of our events online, including the 2020 Virginia Democratic State Convention. Party staff worked every day to figure out how to move such a massive undertaking virtually. Leading the way for other State Parties, we were one of the first to hold a virtual convention. We had an amazing line up of speakers and you can check out the Convention here at dpvastate2020.com
The Democratic Party of Virginia remains committed to electing Democrats up and down the ticket around the Commonwealth. Find out more about what the DPVA is doing, and get involved at vademocrats.org
